> Bring Back Bombay

A lot has already been said on the matter of Mumbai’s post-26/11 reconstruction, and people are rising up en masse to facilitate constructive and collective action towards genuine and permanent self-improvement.

I have a simple suggestion. Let’s bring back Bombay.

Not metaphorically nor emotionally, but literally. Let’s dispose of the moniker ‘Mumbai’ and all the baggage that it comes with – the divisiveness practiced by the evil political opportunists to whom we gifted the keys of our city, the impotent cynicism of the elite who did nothing to stop our slide, the deterioration of every one of our once proud institutions at the hands of rabid corruption.

Let’s give ourselves a fresh start – both by breaking with the past AND by invoking the nostalgia to which we are increasingly turning. The Bombay of my youth, even if it is only a trick of my memory, was a place where there was universal respect for human life and civil liberties as well as an understanding of the responsibilities which this social contract demanded, a place where a sense of belonging created a superconsciousness which translated into collective thought and action and defeated chauvinism; most of all – a place where the defining attitude (sab chalta hai) meant equal opportunity, not defeatism.

Mumbai is the version of that dream which we sold down the river.

We’re searching desperately for a symbol to move us out of the darkness. The rebirth of Bombay can be our messiah and message – provoking us into constant action, casting aside prior encumbrances and silent consent, defeating the bleak mistrust and monumental apathy that exists – it happened in Sarajevo, New York, and Beirut. It can happen here.

Rather than pander to those who would accuse me of elitism and tokenism, I would like to spell out a simple charter for this transformation (or rather reconstruction):

We, the new citizens of Bombay, pledge to begin once more to respect our neighbors, care for our ecosystem, create and obey rules, vote for and trust our leaders, speak up when the situation calls for it and never forget. We choose to reclaim our humanity.

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2 comments

Mumbai, comes from Mumba Devi the patron Goddess of Bombay or the Island of Bombay. There are 12 patron Goddess’s in Bombay, Mumba devi, Kalba devi, Sitla Devi, Maha kali etc etc ….a tradition started by the original dwellers of Bombay- the Kohliwadi fisherfolk (if there is such a word). Bombay of old, is a now forever in the annuls of history, a nostalgic memory for most of us, and something we have to remember will never come back, thanks to 9/11…a world of idiots is now what we live in..forever..

Yes, and in a rare coincidence the original 16th century name was Bambaim – which sounds very much like Mumbai and has led several conspiracy theorists to propose that Mumbai was simply a localization of Bambaim. Bambaim, of course means “good bay” which is such a simple, secular, pleasant conceit – harkening back to days of yore – without thought of appeasing goddesses and religious leaders.

Another old name for the city (or area) was Kakamuchee – which kind of sums up our current state